Voice Views: LGBTQ+ artists that inspire you

"Her talent for not shying away on big public stages when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues, even when faced with nearly continuous hurdles, is sadly something commended by mainstream media, when it should be considered normal"
- Sophie, writing about Halsey

Photo: DeShaun Craddock

"Here we have a young Asian-American woman who has reached number 12 in the US Billboard charts, written and produced a full-length album and multiple music videos, and is using her platform to push for progress."
- Charlotte, on Hayley Kiyoko

Photo: Ralph Arvesen

"He is living proof that the start you have in life doesn’t have to define you and that is a timeless message that all of us, no matter our start in life, no matter our background, sexual orientation or anything else is something we’d benefit to remember and embrace."
- Saskia, writing about Sir Elton John

Photo: Dena Flows

"What makes Dear White People’s representation so good is how casual and incidental it is. Instead of it feeling like any of these characters are in the show as ‘The Gay One’, they’re fully fleshed out humans"
- Tayo, writing about Dear White People

Photo: Netflix

"Janelle will continue to guide my work. I want to thank her for inspiring her thousands of fans by embracing and being unafraid of who she is."
- Sadhana on Janelle Monae

Photo: Langston Carter

"His life and death humanised the plight of those facing stigma for being who they were, and of those fighting a disease that was physically draining them whilst being simultaneously shunned by society for contracting it's ideas of 'normal'."
- Chris, writing about Freddie Mercury

Photo: Freddie Mercury Facebook page

"It’s not the first time that Maines has made an unprecedented breakthrough in challenging societal prejudice and calling for equality. She has experience in making a stand and doing what’s right even if it’s tough – a real-life superhero as brave as her on-screen superhero alias."
- Mary, writing about Nicole Maines

Photo: Bettina Strauss, The CW

"Acutely aware then of his own queerness and bodily foibles (Lear also wrote scathingly about his appearance, particularly the size of his nose), his poems regularly mirror anxieties of otherness and difference, often featuring eccentrics punished for non-conformity."
- Jack, writing about Edward Lear

Photo: Unknown

Welcome to the first Voice Views, a new monthly post we will be trialling in an effort to bring our community together.

The concept is simple, we publish a question or broad statement, and we want to hear what you think! Sometimes we will be asking for hot takes to a political event, other times we might want more considered, personal responses about what inspires you, or your favourite activities. Our Voice Contributors will pitch in every month to kick things off, but then it's your turn, replying in the comments, or publishing your own blogs to convey your point of view.

For our first Voice Views, we want to know:

Who are the LGBTQ+ artists, or LGBTQ+ works of art, that inspire you most?

Pride Month is coming to a close, with the London Pride Rally expected to be the largest one to date. However, once the celebrations are all over, too many people slip back into complacency and allow the prejudice and persecution of the LGBTQ+ community to continue unchecked. With the rainbows and glitter out of sight, the community slip out of mind.

We want to keep the momentum going.

Hopefully this Voice Views will get you thinking longer term about the impact that LGBTQ+ people have on society, and encourage you to stand up for the rights and safety of everyone in society, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.

Voice Contributor picks

When asked to help kickstart Voice Views, the Voice Contributors were incredibly eager to take part. They've each written longer posts about their chosen LGBTQ+ icon, and you can find links to each of them below!

Who are yours?

We've told you some of ours, but we really want to know who your LGBTQ+ icons are. You can tell us in the comments section, or if you were similarly inspired like our Voice Contributors, you can write a blog post and drop the link in the comments!

Author

Tom Inniss
Voice Team

Tom is the Editor of Voice. He is a politics graduate and holds a masters in journalism, with particular interest in youth political engagement and technology. He is also a mentor to our Voice Contributors, and champions our festivals programme, including the reporter team at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe..